Corner Keith Abney II, linebacker LB Keyshaun Elliott both selected in fifth round
After a quiet Day 2 in the NFL draft for ASU players, a tandem of Sun Devils Sun Devils heard their names called on Day 3 in the fifth round. Cornerback Keith Abney II was picked No. 157 overall by the Detroit Lions, and not too long after linebacker Keyshaun Elliott was drafted by the Chicago Bears with the 166th pick overall.
Abney, a 5-foot-10, 190-pound corner and a member of the All-Big 12 First-Team this season, played in 12 games, starting in all of them, posting 44 tackles, 14 passes defended, 12 pass breakups, and two interceptions, while registering a 46.1 passer rating in targets. In his three-year career in Tempe, he collected 97 tackles, 27 passes defended, 21 pass breakups, and six interceptions. He is the only ASU player from last year’s team, aside from first-round selection Jordyn Tyson, to declare early for the draft. He was generally projected to be picked in the third or fourth round, and seemingly didn’t get selected that high due to his size.
Twice during this upcoming NFL season, Abney could potentially see a former teammate who will now be a conference foe, as linebacker Keyshaun Elliott was selected by the Chicago Bears. The outgoing senior, whose 98 tackles were second-best on the team, was selected in each of his two seasons at ASU as Second-Team All-Big 12. The 6-foot-2, 233-pound linebacker, who played his first two years at New Mexico State, enjoyed a formidable season where his seven sacks and 14 tackles for loss paced the Sun Devils in 2025, a campaign where he also tallied two pass breakups and two passes defended. In his four-year college career, Elliott posted 301 tackles, 28.5 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, 11 passes defended, 10 pass breakups, and two fumbles recovered.
Abney and Elliott, along with ASU players and first-round picks WR Jordyn Tyson (8th overall) and OL Max Iheanachor (21st overall), mark the first time since 2022 and only the third time this century that ASU will have at least four NFL draft picks.
